It's a great book . I'm not sure it's a great romance book, too.
I'll try to clarify.
The Waterloo battlefield description, the scenario, the secondary characters ( the 4 kind prostitutes especially ) are simply great .
But the real subject of the book is the personal tragedy of Alleyne - trying to recover his memory after he's shot and thrown from his horse during the battle.
" This is an opportunity for you to start a new life, and to become someone better than the person you've been so far " - the tenant tells Alleyne, and the wish will become true.
In the Bedwyns Alleyne has been always the charmer, far from having the strong personality of his elder siblings ( Rannulf the Viking, Freyja the Amazon, Colonel Aidan , Wulf the Ice Duke ) and much closer to sweet Morgan.
Only now, after the accident, he changes, and starts to show his emotions without shame, and to do efforts to understand somebody's else feelings ( Rachel's; her uncle's ); only now he dares to admit to be scared by the idea of getting back home alone , and he asks meekly for Rachel's help. He's really a different man now, no longer afraid to be weak, or shy, or scared, or grateful. Or sinful, too.
But I'm not sure that the mutual support Rachel and Alleyne are providing each other is something effective to base a lovestory upon. It can be perhaps realistic and closer to our day-by-day life ( how many marriages were born by gratitude ? ), but certainly it's not as intriguing and passionate as some relationships in other MB's stories - one for all, " More than a mistress " , which is my definitive keeper in all MB's books.
BTW: the silent hug between Wulf and Alleyne is a little cammeo. MB is already paving here the way to Wulf's story , and since now her attention is clearly focused on the sequel to this book, the it - will - never - be - published - too - soon " Slightly dangerous " that we are all waiting for with impatience.